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Written Question
Audiobooks: VAT
Thursday 30th March 2023

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations he has received on the fairness of the level of VAT on audiobooks.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

The Chancellor regularly receives representations from stakeholders across a range of issues and keeps all taxes under review. In common with many goods and services, audiobooks are taxed at the standard rate in both physical and digital format and there are no current plans to change that.


Written Question
Economic Growth: Birmingham
Thursday 9th February 2023

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of economic growth in Birmingham.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

This Government is committed to creating an environment in which high economic growth benefits all. The latest data indicate that Birmingham’s output grew by 6% from 2010 to 2020. This compares to growth of 6% for the UK economy over the same period.

However, as outlined in the Levelling up White Paper, some of the UK’s most successful cities lag behind their international comparators when it comes to productivity and incomes. This is why the Government is committed to supporting Birmingham’s potential to grow even further, including through the Levelling up Fund, where £52.5m was awarded to three Birmingham based projects as part of the first round.

In addition, and building on the existing £1.1bn devolution deal, this Government is negotiating a deeper, trailblazer devolution deal with the West Midlands Combined Authority that will devolve further skills, housing, transport and net zero powers to the Combined Authority to drive growth in the region.


Written Question
Financial Services: Children
Thursday 2nd February 2023

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to help improve financial inclusion for people under 18.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government wants to ensure that people, regardless of their background or income, have access to useful and affordable financial products and services and is committed to ensuring that people build financial capability. This means they are able to use, and maximise their use of, products and services made available by the financial services industry.

To promote financial inclusion and capability, the Government works closely together with regulators and stakeholders from the public, private and third sectors. For people under the age of 18, economic and financial education are important parts of a broad and balanced curriculum that provide the essential knowledge to ensure that young people are prepared to manage money well and make sound financial decisions.

Financial education is a statutory part of the national citizenship curriculum for 11- to 16-year-olds in England and primary schools can choose to teach citizenship, using non-statutory programmes of study.

To further support schools to deliver high quality financial education, the Money and Pensions Service published financial education guidance for schools in England in 2021. This guidance supports school leaders and education decision makers to enhance the financial education currently delivered in their schools.


Written Question
Financial Services: Disadvantaged
Thursday 1st December 2022

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department takes steps to help protect vulnerable customers in instances where the Financial Conduct Authority is unable to.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government works closely together with regulators, the financial services industry and other stakeholders, to ensure that all consumers of financial services receive appropriate protection.

The Government has a range of work underway which will improve support for vulnerable consumers, including legislating to protect access to cash through the Financial Services and Markets Bill, and piloting a No-Interest Loans scheme which aims to help consumers in vulnerable circumstances who struggle to access affordable forms of credit.

In February 2021, the FCA published its finalised guidance for firms on the fair treatment of vulnerable customers, setting out a number of best practices (https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/finalised-guidance/guidance-firms-fair-treatment-vulnerable-customers). This applies to all firms where the FCA Principles for Business apply, regardless of sector, and in respect of the supply of products or services to retail customers. This guidance explores, among other things, how firms can understand the needs of vulnerable customers and provide targeted services for this cohort. Examples range from staff having the skills and capability to recognise and respond to the needs of vulnerable customers to product and service design, customer services, and communication.

The Government also continually keeps the FCA’s regulatory perimeter under review, and works with the regulators to consider calls to amend the perimeter.


Written Question
Non-transferable Debt Securities
Thursday 1st December 2022

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to implement the recommendations from regulation of non-transferable debt securities consultation, published in April 2021.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

In March 2022, the government stated in the summary of responses to its consultation on the regulation of non-transferable debt securities (NTDS) that its preferred approach was to include non-transferable securities within the scope of the reformed Prospectus Regime.

On 19 July, the government confirmed that it will use the Future Regulatory Framework powers being taken forward in the Financial Services and Markets Bill to deliver its reforms to the Prospectus Regime. The government will lay secondary legislation to make these reforms to the Prospectus Regime as soon as possible after the Bill receives Royal Assent.

These reforms will ensure appropriate disclosure and due diligence on offers of NTDS, in order to protect investors.


Written Question
Audiobooks: VAT
Wednesday 16th November 2022

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits for equality for people who are visually impaired of removing of VAT on audiobooks.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

An extension of the zero rate of VAT was introduced in May 2020 to provide consistency in approach between certain physical and digital publications. Audiobooks are already taxed consistently at the standard rate in both physical and digital format.

Providing VAT relief for audiobooks would have a fiscal cost and should be viewed in the context of over £50 billion of other requests for relief from VAT that the Government has received since the EU referendum.

Although the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no plans to change the rate of VAT on audiobooks.


Written Question
Audiobooks: VAT
Wednesday 16th November 2022

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made a recent assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of audiobooks on increasing engagement with reading for people with disabilities and other underrepresented readers; and whether he plans to introduce a zero rating of VAT for audiobooks.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

An extension of the zero rate of VAT was introduced in May 2020 to provide consistency in approach between certain physical and digital publications. Audiobooks are already taxed consistently at the standard rate in both physical and digital format.

Providing VAT relief for audiobooks would have a fiscal cost and should be viewed in the context of over £50 billion of other requests for relief from VAT that the Government has received since the EU referendum.

Although the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no plans to change the rate of VAT on audiobooks.


Written Question
Audiobooks: VAT
Wednesday 16th November 2022

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to introduce a zero rating of VAT for audiobooks.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

An extension of the zero rate of VAT was introduced in May 2020 to provide consistency in approach between certain physical and digital publications. Audiobooks are already taxed consistently at the standard rate in both physical and digital format.

Providing VAT relief for audiobooks would have a fiscal cost and should be viewed in the context of over £50 billion of other requests for relief from VAT that the Government has received since the EU referendum.

Although the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no plans to change the rate of VAT on audiobooks.


Written Question
Sanitary Protection: VAT
Wednesday 9th November 2022

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken since to ensure that women can access and afford sanitary products, since the introduction of the zero rate of VAT, in the context of the rising cost of living.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

A zero rate of VAT has applied to women’s sanitary products since 1 January 2021. This applies to those products which were previously subject to the reduced rate of 5 per cent, for example, tampons and pads, and to reusable menstrual products, such as keepers. The zero rate will ensure that every woman that needs Period protection during their monthly cycle will now have access to a variety of zero-rated products on which they had previously paid a 5 per cent rate of VAT.

Although there are currently no plans to remove VAT on all personal hygiene products, the Government keeps all taxes under review and welcomes representations to help inform future decisions on tax policy, as part of the tax policy making cycle and Budget process.

The Government recognises the pressures that families across the UK are currently facing with the cost of living. The Energy Price Guarantee is a scheme that will cap the unit price households pay for electricity and gas, which means that a typical household in Great Britain will have to pay bills equivalent to no more than £2500 a year on their energy bills between October 22 and April 23.

A review will be launched to consider more targeted measures to support households with their energy bills after this period.


Written Question
Sanitary Protection: VAT
Wednesday 9th November 2022

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the zero rate of VAT applied to women's sanitary products since 1 January 2021, what additional steps his Department is taking to ensure that women can access and afford sanitary products in light of the rising cost of living.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

A zero rate of VAT has applied to women’s sanitary products since 1 January 2021. This applies to those products which were previously subject to the reduced rate of 5 per cent, for example, tampons and pads, and to reusable menstrual products, such as keepers. The zero rate will ensure that every woman that needs Period protection during their monthly cycle will now have access to a variety of zero-rated products on which they had previously paid a 5 per cent rate of VAT.

Although there are currently no plans to remove VAT on all personal hygiene products, the Government keeps all taxes under review and welcomes representations to help inform future decisions on tax policy, as part of the tax policy making cycle and Budget process.

The Government recognises the pressures that families across the UK are currently facing with the cost of living. The Energy Price Guarantee is a scheme that will cap the unit price households pay for electricity and gas, which means that a typical household in Great Britain will have to pay bills equivalent to no more than £2500 a year on their energy bills between October 22 and April 23.

A review will be launched to consider more targeted measures to support households with their energy bills after this period.